A Cute and Easy St. Patrick's Day Treat

While looking for a St. Patrick's Day treat for my daughter's Kindergarten class, I came across these adorable leprechaun hats made of cookies, marshmallows, and melted candies. I made a version of my own (less pretty, but oh, so tasty!) and decided to try them without artificial food coloring.

Instead, I tinted the melted white candy with matcha. I just used a sprinkle. It made for a nice shade of green and didn't change the taste (confirmed by my husband and daughter).

Happy St. Patrick's Day!

Getting Rid of Halloween Candy (Without Eating it All!)

The official Holiday Eating Season begins each Halloween. Do you find yourself facing pounds and pounds of your kids' candy? If you want to do something with it that won't add pounds and pounds to you and your family, start a new tradition - the Halloween Witch!

I got this idea from a friend, and I was lucky enough that she told me when my daughter was only 1. If she'd been older, she may not have gone for it. This is the third year the Halloween Witch has visited us, and my daughter, at 4 this year, seemed more excited about being visited by the witch than most of the other Halloween activities.

The day after Halloween, my daughter pulls out the candy she really wants to keep. 

The rest goes into a bag and placed out on our front porch for the Halloween Witch.

The Witch visits at Midnight and leaves something nice for my daughter as a sign of her gratitude. My daughter believes that the witch takes her extra candy and shares it with children who may not have been able to get as much candy as she had on Halloween. 

In reality, my husband just takes the extra candy to his dentist, who participates in the Halloween Candy Buy Back, to send the candy to our troops overseas. 

I seem to be the only one in our house with a relentless sweet-tooth, so not having the candy here to tempt me is worth a little bribery!